Soup Bowl
Saint Joseph, Barbados
Reef breakExpert
The jewel of Caribbean surfing, Soup Bowl is a world-class right-hand reef break on Barbados's rugged northeast Atlantic coast, a heavy, hollow wave that has hosted the Barbados Surf Pro for decades and humbled some of the world's best surfers.
Typical Conditions
The Surf Window
Swell Window
OptimalE (90°)
WindowNNE–SSE (30°–150°)
Wind
W
Offshore
Tide
Mid tide
LowMidHigh
Season
November–April
JFMAMJJASOND
The Wave
Type
Right
Bottom
Reef (coral)
Shape
Thick, heavy barrel, pitching lip with powerful hold-downs
Length
60–120m
Skill Level
- •Who it's for: Expert
- •Why: The coral reef is shallow, the barrel is thick, and the hold-downs are serious, requires expert water skills
Hazards
- •Very shallow coral reef
- •Powerful hold-downs on big sets
- •Difficult entry and exit on larger days
Local Tips
- •Watch from Bathsheba village before paddling out, the wave looks big from shore
- •The Atlantic-facing Soup Bowl fires on a completely different swell window from the calm west coast resorts
Location
13.1938, -59.5228